Solving Shopify’s Layout Limitations with a Custom Wrapper Site

When the team at Insight Editions—a leading publisher of creative books and collectibles—came to us, they had a clear goal: showcase their Web Exclusive releases more effectively. These products are special limited editions, collector’s items, and one-of-a-kind pieces that deserve to be showcased prominently. 

The challenge? Shopify’s out-of-the-box layouts didn’t easily support visual or editorial-style product storytelling, especially for premium items. Insight Editions’ existing ecommerce setup was tightly integrated into their day-to-day business operations and they couldn’t risk disrupting that. But they still wanted a space where their most unique products could shine with bigger imagery, richer storytelling, and a more immersive experience. That’s where the WebSight Design team stepped in.

Building a Flexible Ecommerce Solution—Without Breaking the System

Instead of reinventing their entire ecommerce setup, we developed a custom wrapper site for Insight Editions’ Web Exclusives - giving them design freedom without disrupting operations

Working in collaboration with Marketing and eCommerce Consultant Don Pillsbury and Bay Area designer Courtney O'Connell, we translated their creative vision into a high-performance, flexible framework that integrates within Shopify. Using Shopify’s Buy Button sales channel, we built a fully integrated system that connects seamlessly with their existing store. It allowed us to embed products, inventory, and checkout functions directly into the new site—meaning all sales and inventory tracking still run through Shopify, just as before. 

In other words, Insight Editions got the flexibility they wanted without sacrificing the stability they needed.

Real-Time Shopify Integration for Smarter Inventory and Checkout

To handle Insight Editions’ high-demand, limited-edition collectibles, we needed a system that was fast, accurate, and seamless for customers. Our custom Shopify integration ensured their site could keep up with both inventory and preorder requirements while maintaining a smooth shopping experience.

• Real-time inventory updates: Limited-edition collectibles sell quickly, so we set up the site to automatically sync inventory. Once a product sells out on Shopify, it’s immediately unavailable on the Web Exclusives site, eliminating the need for manual updates, preventing oversells, and reducing customer frustration.
• Preorder system integration: Using Shopify tags, we ensured preorder products display with accurate availability, clear messaging, and expected ship timelines, ultimately reducing customer questions and helping shoppers feel confident about what they’re reserving.
• Custom shopping cart solution: Customers can add products from both the main site and the Web Exclusives site to a unified cart, creating a seamless checkout experience—something not possible with Shopify's native Buy Button alone.

Creating Value: A Digital Space for Visual Storytelling

Beyond the technical benefits, the project unlocked a major advantage: creative flexibility.  The new Web Exclusives site gives their team a canvas to tell the stories behind each collectible through larger visuals, rich descriptions, and editorial-style layouts, making each product launch feel special. It’s a more engaging, dynamic experience for their customers, and one that aligns with the high value and rarity of the products themselves. By blending custom development with Shopify’s existing ecosystem, our team helped create a solution that’s both technically sound and visually compelling. 

Ready to give your products the spotlight they deserve? If you’re ready to create a more immersive, high-converting Shopify experience—without rebuilding your entire store—WSD can help! Contact WebSight Design today for a custom ecommerce consultation